The New Key to an Ancient Enigma
by Anthony Johnson: THAMES & HUDSON ISBN 978-0-500-05155-9
above: computer reconstruction partly based on laser point cloud data
Astronomy or Architecture?
The construction of Stonehenge reflects the empirical discovery of mathematical truths. Its design embodies the elegant and universal symbolism of numbers and geometry. 4,500 years ago Neolithic surveyors and engineers understood and employed the relationships between squares and circles. They accurately created polygons which included hexagons pentagons decagons; the classic 30 sided figure which determined the positions of the Sarsen Circle (a 'triacontagon') is itself a product of these fundamental shapes.
The 'horseshoe' form of the central array was derived from the same markers that determined the position of the Sarsen Circle. Beyond the circle, the four 'Station Stones' sit in perfect spatial and geometric relationship with the central group. A modern preoccupation with 'alignments' has masked the elegantly simple formulae used by the prehistoric designers.
Prehistoric knowledge embedded in icons
The Bush Barrow Lozenge (buried c.1700 BC the exact date of it manufacture is unknown) is one of a number of objects that provide a further remarkable insight into the sublime dimension of the prehistoric mind. This artefact is a tangible and intimate connection with the creativity of the Early Bronze Age artisans, a mature reflection of the geometric principles developed not by ‘astronomer priests’ but by Neolithic ‘draftsmen-surveyors’ who had used the same elegantly simple methods in the construction of both timber and stone monuments for generations.
In examining how these mirrored symmetrical designs were created we may take one step closer to unlocking and appreciating the rationale behind the iconography of these dynamic communities, and the building of Stonehenge itself.